Potential 1/4 mile time for your tow vehicle

With or without the trailer?? 

I remember running in the Lemons race at Monticello Motor Club, and their tow / safety trucks were new Toyota trucks - Tundras with the big v8s I think? Anyway, they seemed hell bent on proving that their tow vehicles were faster than the average Lemons car, and there were many race cars passed by "safety" trucks that weekend. On a road course!

A tow vehicle is not a race car.

A tow vehicle does not have 1/4 mile times, you get there when you get there.

A tow vehicles primary job is to do that safely (x10) and with some level of comfort. Over a span of many miles, not 1/4 at a time.

A vehicle with single rear tires is a pickup not a tow vehicle.

bentwrench said:

A tow vehicle is not a race car.

A tow vehicle does not have 1/4 mile times, you get there when you get there.

A tow vehicles primary job is to do that safely (x10) and with some level of comfort. Over a span of many miles, not 1/4 at a time.

A vehicle with single rear tires is a pickup not a tow vehicle.

Well, you got three out of four.

In reply to chandler :

Is yours the 2.7 or 3.5? I have one of the lighter 2.7 configs (XLT short bed) and even though it's only 2wd, it's a rocket ship. 

Internet said my 03 GMC will do the quarter in 15.2. With almost 350k on it I bet it is more like 20 seconds. 

The internet says that a 2001 Toyota Sequoia does 0-60 in 9.1 seconds and the 1/4 mile in 16.8@81mph both of which I believe with 240fwhp and 315 torques. Probs even slower with the big A/T tires, lift kit, roof rack, and deer killers. 

It will currently do none of those because of VSC/TRAC issues. 

bentwrench said:

A tow vehicle is not a race car.

A tow vehicle does not have 1/4 mile times, you get there when you get there.

A tow vehicles primary job is to do that safely (x10) and with some level of comfort. Over a span of many miles, not 1/4 at a time.

A vehicle with single rear tires is a pickup not a tow vehicle.

If your tow vehicle needs dual rear wheels that means your "race car" is too heavy.

@bentwrench.............this thread was meant to be silly..........your prejudice over what constitutes a tow vehicle comes close but doesn't quite get there.

So with the theme:

1/4 mile time with Datsun on trailer is 21.91 at 65.38 MPH. I don't like to go more than 65 while towing but for drag racing glory I'll go over by .38 mph.

1/4 mile time with the F500 is 21.11 at 67.85 (almost 68 mph), not sure I have the courage to get it to 68 mph.

morello159 said:

In reply to chandler :

Is yours the 2.7 or 3.5? I have one of the lighter 2.7 configs (XLT short bed) and even though it's only 2wd, it's a rocket ship. 

5.0 actually

I'm pretty sure I could beat a stock VW Microbus through the quarter. 

Back around 1990, I had a rusty '76 Suburban half ton tow pig with a 454.  Stock except for turbo mufflers, and of course a flipped air cleaner cover (bowwww........ WAAAAAAH).  125K miles, many of which had been spent in front of a 5k lb travel trailer.  15.65 @ 88.  In 1990.  With 3.08 gears. Victims included a 280Z, a new civic Si, and an early 80's V6 (we think) Cutlass.  That last one happened while we were towing a Ford Escort on a trailer.  That 'burban was a riot. 

In reply to Uncle David (Forum Supporter) :

So the V8 in my regular cab aluminum body pickup makes 395 horsepower 400 ft pounds of torque.  4100pounds with ( 4 doors , doesn't list only 2 door regular cab weight ) . With the towing axle (3.78 ) and flex fuel option What would my  0-60 & 1/4 mile times. 
 

Maybe 20 seconds?

The great thing about tow vehicle drag racing is the high risk.  If you break your challenge car, you can still get home.  You break the tow vehicle trying to get a fast ET, then you are in a bad way.  

Anyone have a 2nd gen SVT Lightning?  That might be a winner.

AnthonyGS (Forum Supporter) said:

Anyone have a 2nd gen SVT Lightning?  That might be a winner.

I'm thinking an SRT-10 Ram. That Viper engine is pretty potent..

AnthonyGS (Forum Supporter) said:

The great thing about tow vehicle drag racing is the high risk.  If you break your challenge car, you can still get home.  You break the tow vehicle trying to get a fast ET, then you are in a bad way.  

Anyone have a 2nd gen SVT Lightning?  That might be a winner.

Lightnings are awesome.  A friend and I towed my Miata to the autox with his Lightning once, and we both ran both vehicles.  The Lightning was definitely one of the slower vehicles in F stock, but it was a ton of fun. :)

AnthonyGS (Forum Supporter) said:

The great thing about tow vehicle drag racing is the high risk.  If you break your challenge car, you can still get home.  You break the tow vehicle trying to get a fast ET, then you are in a bad way.  

Anyone have a 2nd gen SVT Lightning?  That might be a winner.

 

Wasn't there some boosted 4.8 pickup that did/won(?) the hot rod powertour some years ago that made a buttload of power?

The fastest our racecar has been was on the trailer behind a rented 6.7 F250.

We've only run the heavier/slower racecar down the quarter and it did a 19.7@67mph. Using the known weight(according to the town dump) we're at about 85whp, which definitely tracks.

Currently we're towing the lighter/faster racecar with a GMT400 Suburban 5.7 which supposedly runs an 18.2 so that might be a good race.

Tom_Spangler (Forum Supporter) said:

AnthonyGS (Forum Supporter) said:

Anyone have a 2nd gen SVT Lightning?  That might be a winner.

I'm thinking an SRT-10 Ram. That Viper engine is pretty potent..

The Lightning was rated to tow 5k.  I think towing with the srt10 was not recommended.

@frenchyd in theory 395hp and 4100lbs = mid 13s

AnthonyGS (Forum Supporter) said:

Tom_Spangler (Forum Supporter) said:

AnthonyGS (Forum Supporter) said:

Anyone have a 2nd gen SVT Lightning?  That might be a winner.

I'm thinking an SRT-10 Ram. That Viper engine is pretty potent..

The Lightning was rated to tow 5k.  I think towing with the srt10 was not recommended.

The single cabs (all manuals) were not recommended for towing.  IIRC the quad cabs (all automatics) could tow 5k.   

AnthonyGS (Forum Supporter) said:

Tom_Spangler (Forum Supporter) said:

AnthonyGS (Forum Supporter) said:

Anyone have a 2nd gen SVT Lightning?  That might be a winner.

I'm thinking an SRT-10 Ram. That Viper engine is pretty potent..

The Lightning was rated to tow 5k.  I think towing with the srt10 was not recommended.

In that case, I think the newest F-150 Limited is the winner, C/D has it at 13.7@102. It tows over 10k pounds, too. Only minor issue is that $70k price tag.

Uncle David (Forum Supporter) said:

Back around 1990, I had a rusty '76 Suburban half ton tow pig with a 454.  Stock except for turbo mufflers, and of course a flipped air cleaner cover (bowwww........ WAAAAAAH).  125K miles, many of which had been spent in front of a 5k lb travel trailer.  15.65 @ 88.  In 1990.  With 3.08 gears. Victims included a 280Z, a new civic Si, and an early 80's V6 (we think) Cutlass.  That last one happened while we were towing a Ford Escort on a trailer.  That 'burban was a riot. 

 I didn’t think the 454 was available in the half-ton Burb.  Just the 3/4.  Sounds like yours might have been “Team Stampied”.

Tom1200 said:

@frenchyd in theory 395hp and 4100lbs = mid 13s

Thanks Tom,  add the estimated 50 hp ? bump for the added power of E85 and  deduct something for the regular cab weight savings over the 6 passenger cab, maybe it would do it in reality? 
All I know is I floored it on the freeway on ramp at about 30 mph and it smoked the tires right up to the speed limit.